New Car Review

1996 Hyundai Elantra GLS Wagon

by Carey Russ

In the ten years that Hyundai has been selling cars in this country,
its fortunes have varied wildly. After a record-breaking success with its
first offering, the Excel, in 1986, Hyundai fell on hard times as the market
for inexpensive cars softened. Rather than abandoning U. S. sales, the
company did its research and changed its automotive lineup to meet
American expectations. The 1996 Elantra is a product of that attitude.
Available in sedan or station wagon body styles, it is a small car that is
anything but basic. With a new chassis, styling, and engine this year, it
offers the buyer good fuel economy, unique styling, just about everything
most people want as standard equipment, and all with very respectable
price tag.

Elantra sedans and wagons are sold in two trim levels. The base
Elantra is a well-equipped car; the GLS is very comprehensively outfitted
for its size and price category. The station wagon has plenty of room for a
small family or anyone else who can appreciate the economical, practical,
extra-large-hatchback nature of a small wagon. I recently had an Elantra
GLS wagon for a week. It was comfortable, with good fit and finish,
plenty of interior space and adequate power for its mission in life. And the
bottom line on the price sticker was considerably less than that of some
competitors.

APPEARANCE: The Elantra is at the forefront of new Hyundai design,
with bold, futuristic styling. Even the wagon is an eye-catcher. It's hard to
make a station much more than a two-box functional design, but Hyundai's
stylists have succeeded. The operative word outside is "round." At the
front, a definite face made from the ovoid, multi-element headlights and
low, oval air intake gives the car character. There is a prominent rounded
bulge in the sloping hood that extends between the headlights. Body-
colored front and rear bumper fascias are integrated into the bodywork,
and the sides of the Elantra wagon are heavily sculpted. The passenger
cabin has a steeply-raked windshield and rounded, slightly sloped rear
window, and plenty of glass area. Trim around the side windows is the
only chrome on the car. A rounded bulge in the station wagon's roof
echoes that of the hood and adds styling interest. Matte black roof racks
and swoopy silver plastic wheel covers add functional style.

COMFORT: The new Elantra is a considerable step up from the Hyundais
of a few years ago in comfort and convenience. Almost every common
feature is standard equipment on the GLS model. Power-operated
windows, door locks, and mirrors, a full-length center console with
covered storage, cargo area shade, and even thoughtful little details like
separate driver and passenger dome lights and a shaded area in front of the
rear-view mirror help make the GLS wagon a class act. The only major
option on my test car was a combination package of air conditioner and
cruise control. While pricey, the AC worked extremely well. Interior
styling of the 1996 Hyundai Elantra GLS wagon repeats the oval motif of
the exterior, with a flowing instrument panel and door inserts.
Comfortable cloth-covered front bucket seats in front and a contoured
bench in the rear make the Elantra wagon a good family car, roomy for its
size. The driver's seat is 6-way adjustable, and the rear seat folds down
with a 60/40 split. The tailgate is supported by hydraulic struts and the
cargo floor is low for easy access.

ROADABILITY: Improved chassis rigidity, increased wheelbase and
track, a redesigned fully-independent suspension on subframes, and
additional soundproofing add up to make the 1996 Elantra GLS wagon
smoother and quieter than its predecessor and many competitors. The ride
is on the firm side but comparable to most other cars in its class.
Maneuverability is better than expected for a subcompact wagon. Good
visibility adds to safety and passenger enjoyment.

PERFORMANCE: The 1996 Elantra uses Hyundai's new Beta engine.
This dual overhead cam, 16 valve 1.8-liter unit produces 130 horsepower.
More importantly for everyday driving, it makes nearly 90% of its peak
torque of 122 lb-ft at engine speeds commonly used in city and highway
traffic. It is designed for smooth, quiet, low-maintenance operation. The
front wheels are driven through a 4-speed electronically-controlled
automatic transmission. The GLS wagon has very good low speed
performance and enough power to merge safely in highway traffic. The
transmission shifts smoothly and quickly, and does not hunt around
between gears on long, steep hills.

CONCLUSIONS: Hyundai has come a long way in the last decade. Once
known for economy subcompacts bought strictly on price, it now has a
small car that can compete successfully with anything in its class.